[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.He knew that Great Britain Scott deployed heavy artillery batter-was interested in the area, and he ies to bombard the walled city, whichwished to keep the region for his surrendered on March 29.own growing country.As soon as war The paved National Road ledwestward from Veracruz some 200was declared, American troopsmiles (322 km) to Mexico City.Scottheaded for California.A small forceused this road for his advance, quicklyled by Captain John C.Frémontleaving the coastal plain to preventmoved south from Oregon andhelped establish a temporary repub- an outbreak of yellow fever fromdevastating his army.lic in northern and central CaliforniaThe U.S.troops left Veracruz onas Marines and sailors from U.S.war-April 8.Santa Anna, with yet anotherships landed in southern California.reorganized army, blocked the U.S.Shortly after war began, Polk or-advance at a point where the Nationaldered Colonel Stephen W.Kearny toRoad passed through several highseize Santa Fe, the capital of Newhills on both sides of the road.HisMexico province.Kearny and 1,70012,000 men outnumbered Scott smen left Fort Leavenworth in late8,500 troops.As the U.S.troopsJune and took control of Santa Fe onpaused to consider what to do, engi-August 18.Leaving a garrison inneer officers, including LieutenantSanta Fe, Kearny then marched west-Robert E.Lee, found a mountain trailward toward California with aboutMthat enabled U.S.soldiers to outflank300 men.He also sent Colonel Alex-NSanta Anna s position.During theander W.Doniphan, along with 850two-day Battle of Cerro Gordo (AprilMissouri mounted soldiers, south17 18), Scott s troops routed theinto Mexico.Doniphan s troops cap-Mexicans, inflicting more than 4,000tured the Mexican state of Chihuahuacasualties while losing only 417on March 1, 1847, and then contin-themselves.ued on to Satillo, the capital city ofBy May 15, Scott s army was at thethe Mexican state of Coahuila, wherecity of Puebla, 75 miles (121 km)he arrived on May 21, having marchedfrom Mexico City.Scott halted to wait3,500 miles (5,633 km).for reinforcements and fresh sup-Kearny s men arrived in southernplies.He left Puebla on August 7, tak-California in early December, just ining a limited amount of supplies withtime to help crush a rebellion againsthim so that he would not have toAmerican occupation.By early Janu-detach men to guard a lengtheningary 1847, California was in Americansupply line.hands.After scouting the strong defensesGENERAL SCOTT S CAMPAIGNof the Mexican capital, Scott circledAfter deciding to attack Mexico Cityto the south to attack.Santa Anna haddirectly, Polk ordered General Win- about 30,000 men to defend the city,field Scott, the army s senior general,while Scott moved approximatelyto lead the attack.Scott assembled 8,000 men into position.In the bat-10,000 troops, which landed at the tles of Contreras and Churubuscoport of Veracruz on March 9, 1847.on August 20, Scott s men suffered52 Mexican-American War (1846 1848)*'heavy casualties 1,052 men killed, believed that the conflict was a plotwounded, and missing while the by Southern slaveholders to grabMexicans lost at least 9,000 soldiers, more territory to expand slavery.one-third of their army.Santa Anna A growing number of Democratsretreated behind the city walls to were beginning to cry  all of Mexico,await the next U.S.attack.hoping to cash in on the army s vic-However, an armistice went into tory by annexing the entire countryeffect on August 25 to allow peace of Mexico.Polk was opposed to thistalks to begin.State Department and hoped that negotiations wouldclerk Nicholas P.Trist had arrived quickly come to an end before hisfrom Washington, D.C., with instruc- opponents had their way.Manytions from President Polk to negoti- Southerners opposed annexingate a peace treaty.However, the initial Mexico because that country hadnegotiations with Santa Anna abolished slavery and would neverproved to be futile.Hardliners in the accept it again.Other Americans ar-government refused much of the U.S.gued that it would not be good tooffer.annex a country filled with nonwhiteScott canceled the armistice on peoples.September 7.The next day, U.S.Peace negotiations finally begantroops won the Battle of Molino del after the Mexican government ap-Rey.On September 13, U.S.troops pointed a new interim president,captured the fortress of Chapultepec, who got rid of most of the hardlinersthe last Mexican position outside the and asked Peña y Peña to be the chiefcity.Scott s men assaulted the city peace negotiator.Because of thewalls on September 14, breaking delay in getting started, coupled withthrough into the city, which Santa Trist s earlier failure during the Au-Anna abandoned.gust-September truce, Polk decidedto replace Trist with another diplo-PEACE NEGOTIATIONS mat [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]